Freiburg reusable coffee cups
In 2017, the city of Freiburg, Germany, launched a reusable coffee cup scheme to reduce disposable coffee cup waste. The cup, made from heat-resistant and dishwasher-safe plastic, can be collected from participating outlets, including the city’s university cafes, in exchange for a EUR 1 deposit.
Customers can use it up to 400 times before returning it to one of the participating outlets, which can be recognised by a green sticker in their window, and get their deposit back. The cafe or shop washes and disinfects the cup themselves so the next customer can use it.
The initiative has been very successful and has been replicated in other German cities such as Munich with the RECUP project.
